Citations

AbstractObjectiveWe aimed to characterize the clinical profile and outcomes of new onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) in children, and investigated the relationship between fever onset and status epilepticus (SE).MethodsPatients with refractory SE (RSE) between June 1, 2011 and October 1, 2016 were prospectively enrolled in the pSERG (Pediatric Status Epilepticus Research Group) cohort. Cases meeting the definition of NORSE were classified as "NORSE of known etiology" or "NORSE of unknown etiology." Subgroup analysis of NORSE of unknown etiology was completed based on the presence and time of fever occurrence relative to RSE onset: fever at onset (≤24 h), previous fever (2 weeks–24 h), and without fever.ResultsOf 279 patients with RSE, 46 patients met the criteria for NORSE. The median age was 2.4 years, and 25 (54%) were female. Forty (87%) patients had NORSE of unknown etiology. Nineteen (48%) presented with fever at SE onset, 16 (40%) had a previous fever, and five (12%) had no fever. The patients with preceding fever had more prolonged SE and worse outcomes, and 25% recovered baseline neurological function. The patients with fever at onset were younger and had shorter SE episodes, and 89% recovered baseline function.SignificanceAmong pediatric patients with RSE, 16% met diagnostic criteria for NORSE, including the subcategory of febrile infection‐related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES). Pediatric NORSE cases may also overlap with refractory febrile SE (FSE). FIRES occurs more frequently in older children, the course is usually prolonged, and outcomes are worse, as compared to refractory FSE. Fever occurring more than 24 h before the onset of seizures differentiates a subgroup of NORSE patients with distinctive clinical characteristics and worse outcomes.

Background: Data from the CDC show that approximately one-quarter of adults have elevated triglyceride (TG) levels. Recent trials have demonstrated that pharmacologic treatment of high TG levels, in patients already on statin therapy, reduces the rate of major vascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke (REDUCE-IT trial). We sought to assess how often patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (CS) have elevated TG levels and factors associated with high TG values. Methods: Patients enrolled in the Carotid Revascularization and Medical Management for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis Trial (CREST 2) were analyzed. Baseline lipid profiles were evaluated to determine high TG treatment eligibility as per the REDUCE-IT trial. We also evaluated baseline use of pharmacologic treatment for high TG levels. Demographic factors and baseline medical conditions were studied in relation to high (>150 mg/dl) TG values. Chi square and t tests were used to assess baseline factors and abnormal TG values. Results: As of August 10, 2020, 1655 of 1689 randomized patients (mean age 69.7 years, 61% men) had baseline lipid profiles suitable for analysis. Treatment eligibility according to REDUCE-IT (LDL 41-100 mg/dl, TG>150 mg/dl) was present in 21% (345) of subjects. In these patients, the median TG value was 205 (IQR 93) mg/dl. Fibrate medications were used at baseline in 4.5% of patients. Analysis of demographic and medical history factors and TG values greater than 150 mg/dl is found in the Table. There was significant positive correlation between baseline hemoglobin A1C and triglyceride values (p<0.0001) Conclusions: One in five patients in CREST 2 has TG values that potentially justify pharmacologic treatment. Elevated TG levels are most correlated with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, decreased physical activity, and heart disease. Clinicians should investigate treatment of elevated TG levels as a component of intensive medical therapy for stroke prevention.

Introduction: Previous analyses of randomized trials comparing carotid artery stenting (CAS) versus carotid endarterectomy (CEA) have revealed varying sex-associated risk. To better understand sex as an effect modifier in the asymptomatic population, we combined the asymptomatic patients from CREST with the asymptomatic patients from ACT I. Methods: We analyzed data from 2544 subjects with ≥ 70% carotid stenosis randomized to CAS or CEA in addition to standard management of cardiovascular risk factors. CREST enrolled 1091 (548 CAS, 543 CEA) and ACT I enrolled 1453 (1089 CAS, 364 CEA) asymptomatic patients less than 80 years old (upper age eligibility in ACT I). We examined the impact of sex on risk within CAS-treated and CEA-treated patients using Kaplan-Meier methods. The pre-specified, primary composite endpoint was stroke, myocardial infarction, or death during the periprocedural period (within 30 days of randomization) or any ipsilateral stroke within 4 years after randomization. Results: For patients assigned to CAS, there was no difference in risk between the sexes (female-to-male HR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.65 -- 1.66, P = 0.87). For patients assigned to CEA, the difference in risk detected was not significant (female-to-male HR = 1.43, 95% CI 0.77 - 2.67, P = 0.26). Conclusions: Sex-differences in risk were not significant for those assigned CAS nor those assigned CEA in this largest pooled analysis of asymptomatic patients comparing CAS to CEA.

Background and Purpose: CREST (Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy Versus Stenting Trial) reported a higher periprocedural risk for any stroke, death, or myocardial infarction for women randomized to carotid artery stenting (CAS) compared with women randomized to carotid endarterectomy (CEA). No difference in risk by treatment was detected for women relative to men in the 4-year primary outcome. We aimed to conduct a pooled analysis among symptomatic patients in large randomized trials to provide more precise estimates of sex differences in the CAS-to-CEA risk for any stroke or death during the 120-day periprocedural period and ipsilateral stroke thereafter. Methods: Data from the Carotid Stenosis Trialists’ Collaboration included outcomes from symptomatic patients in EVA-3S (Endarterectomy Versus Angioplasty in Patients With Symptomatic Severe Carotid Stenosis), SPACE (Stent-Protected Angioplasty Versus Carotid Endarterectomy in Symptomatic Patients), ICSS (International Carotid Stenting Study), and CREST. The primary outcome was any stroke or death within 120 days after randomization and ipsilateral stroke thereafter. Event rates and relative risks were estimated using Poisson regression; effect modification by sex was assessed with a sex-by-treatment-by-trial interaction term, with significant interaction defined a priori as P ≤0.10. Results: Over a median 2.7 years of follow-up, 433 outcomes occurred in 3317 men and 1437 women. The CAS-to-CEA relative risk of the primary outcome was significantly lower for women compared with men in 1 trial, nominally lower in another, and nominally higher in the other two. The sex-by-treatment-by-trial interaction term was significant ( P =0.065), indicating heterogeneity among trials. Contributors to this heterogeneity are primarily differences in periprocedural period. When the trials are nevertheless pooled, there were no significant sex differences in risk in any follow-up period. Conclusions: There were significant differences between trials in the magnitude of sex differences in treatment effect (CAS-to-CEA relative risk), indicating pooling data from these trials to estimate sex differences might not be valid. Whether sex is acting as an effect modifier of the CAS-to-CEA treatment effect in symptomatic patients remains uncertain. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT00190398 (EVA-3S) and NCT00004732 (CREST). URL: https://www.isrctn.com ; Unique identifier: ISRCTN57874028 (SPACE) and ISRCTN25337470 (ICSS).

Abstract Twelve patients were treated with omadacycline (OMC) as part of a multidrug regimen for Mycobacterium abscessus. The majority of infections were of pulmonary origin (7/12; 58.3%). The median (interquartile range) duration of OMC was 6.2 (4.2–11.0) months. Clinical success occurred in 9/12 (75.0%) patients. Three patients experienced a possible adverse effect while on therapy.

Abstract Background Omadacycline (OMC) is an aminomethylcycline antibiotic in the tetracycline class that has been Food and Drug Administration-approved for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. OMC has been shown to have potent in vitro activity against a broad-spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, as well as Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM). Due to it’s unique activity and availability as an oral agent, off-label use of OMC has been increasing. We evaluated the real-world effectiveness and safety of OMC for a variety of infections. Methods This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational study that was conducted from January 2020 to June 2020. We included all patients ≥ 18 years of age that received OMC for ≥ 72 hours for any indication and/or pathogen. The primary outcome was clinical success, defined as a lack of 30-day (non-NTM) or 90-day (NTM) mortality or microbiologic recurrence and absence of therapy escalation or alteration. Reasons for OMC utilization and incidence of potential adverse effects attributable to OMC were also analyzed. Results A total of 18 patients were included from six geographically distinct academic health systems (median age: 56 (IQR, 49-60.5) years; 61% male; 72% Caucasian). The majority of OMC use was in NTM (61%; 100% Mycobacterium abscessus) and in Acinetobacter baumannii (22%) for bone/joint (39%) and respiratory tract (33%) infections. OMC was used primarily in the outpatient setting alone (83%) and most isolates did not have OMC susceptibility conducted (89%). Clinical success was reported in 83% of the total population (71% non-NTM and 91% NTM). The majority of patients were prescribed OMC due to antimicrobial resistance to previous antibiotic(s) (61%) and/or due to OMC’s availability as an oral agent (44%). Three patients experienced side effects while on therapy (serum creatinine elevation, AST/ALT increase, and gastrointestinal distress). Conclusion OMC appears to be effective and well-tolerated for a variety of infections caused by various pathogens, including M. abscessus and A. baumannii. Disclosures Michael J. Rybak, PharmD, MPH, PhD, Paratek (Grant/Research Support)

OBJECTIVE Given temporal changes in diabetes prevalence and stroke incidence, this study investigated age, race, and sex differences in the diabetes–stroke association in a contemporary prospective cohort, the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We included 23,002 non-Hispanic black and white U.S. adults aged ≥45 years without prevalent stroke at baseline (2003–2007). Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, random glucose ≥200 mg/dL, or use of glucose-lowering medication. Incident stroke events were expert adjudicated and available through September 2017. RESULTS The prevalence of diabetes was 19.1% at baseline. During follow-up, 1,018 stroke events occurred. Among adults aged &lt;65 years, comparing those with diabetes to those without diabetes, the risk of stroke was increased for white women (hazard ratio [HR] 3.72 [95% CI 2.10–6.57]), black women (HR 1.88 [95% CI 1.22–2.90]), and white men (HR 2.01 [95% CI 1.27–3.27]) but not black men (HR 1.27 [95% CI 0.77–2.10]) after multivariable adjustment. Among those aged ≥65 years, diabetes increased the risk of stroke for white women and black men, but not black women (HR 1.05 [95% CI 0.74–1.48]) or white men (HR 0.86 [95% CI 0.62–1.21]). CONCLUSIONS In this contemporary cohort, the diabetes–stroke association varied by age, race, and sex together, with a more pronounced effect observed among adults aged &lt;65 years. With the recent increase in the burden of diabetes complications at younger ages in the U.S., additional efforts are needed earlier in life for stroke prevention among adults with diabetes.

Purpose: We aimed to determine whether clinical EEG reports obtained from children in the intensive care unit with refractory status epilepticus could provide data for comparative effectiveness research studies. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study to assess the documentation of key variables within clinical continuous EEG monitoring reports based on the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society's standardized EEG terminology for children with refractory status epilepticus from 10 academic centers. Two pediatric electroencephalographers reviewed the EEG reports. We compared reports generated using free text or templates. Results: We reviewed 191 EEG reports. Agreement between the electroencephalographers regarding whether a variable was described in the report ranged from fair to very good. The presence of electrographic seizures (ES) was documented in 46% (87/191) of reports, and these reports documented the time of first ES in 64% (56/87), ES duration in 72% (63/85), and ES frequency in 68% (59/87). Reactivity was documented in 16% (31/191) of reports, and it was more often documented in template than in free-text reports (40% vs. 14%, P = 0.006). Other variables were not differentially reported in template versus free-text reports. Conclusions: Many key EEG features are not documented consistently in clinical continuous EEG monitoring reports, including ES characteristics and reactivity assessment. Standardization may be needed for clinical EEG reports to provide informative data for large multicenter observational studies.